The preset invention relates generally to carrying tracks for elevators and the like for buildings, and particularly to an integral carrying track for a building.
Many buildings, especially high-rise buildings, hotels and hospitals, for example, have various elevators for carrying persons or cargo from one floor to another. Most elevators are internal to the building, although external carrying tracks and elevators are also very well known. In general, external carrying tracks are temporary structures used for various purpose, such as for transporting building materials during construction of the building. Such tracks are attached to an outside surface of the building and are generally dismantled upon completion of constructing or renovating the building.
The present invention seeks to provide a novel external carrying track for a building, which is integrally built into the building. The carrying track is not a temporary track like the prior art, but rather an aesthetically pleasing, integral part of the structure of building, along which can be slidingly mounted elevator cabs, scaffolding, cranes and the like.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a carrying track for a building, including a building including a plurality of floors, a track extending from a lower floor of the building to a floor above the lower floor, the track structurally forming part of the floors and part of an outside surface of the building, wherein the track includes two vertical halves with a gap formed between, the gap being exposed to the outside surface of the building and extending inwards from the outside surface.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the track extends from one floor to another or from a ground floor to an uppermost floor of the building.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the gap has an extension extending generally perpendicular thereto formed on at least one floor of the building.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the gap and the extension together have a generally T-shaped cross-section.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the gap has the extension formed on each floor of the building.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the halves have a generally trapezoidal cross-section
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the halves are formed of poured concrete, metal (such as steel or aluminum), structural plastic, wood or combination thereof.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an elevator cab, rescue compartment, crane, building cleaning apparatus, or scaffold may be sliding mounted along the track.